Illinois Student Enrollment at Its Highest in over a Decade

Gov. Pritzker Announces IL Public Universities Achieve Highest Enrollment Level in 10 Years

CHICAGO – Today, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) announced that public universities in Illinois achieved the highest enrollment level in 10 years, with nearly 190,000 students enrolled during the fall semester of the 2025-26 academic year. Total enrollment at Illinois public universities increased for the second consecutive year and is the highest in 10 years according to IBHE’s annual First Look Fall Enrollme…

Capitol Fa - Your Illinois News Radar » WIU’s lousy enrollment numbersCapitolFax.com

* Rosy press release… Today, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) announced that public universities in Illinois achieved the highest enrollment level in 10 years, with nearly 190,000 students enrolled during the fall semester of the 2025-26 academic year. Total enrollment at Illinois public universities increased for the second consecutive year and [...]

Illinois Public Universities See Highest Enrollment Levels in a Decade – WTTW (Chicago)

Illinois universities also saw an increase of 1.4 percent in student retention from last fall to this fall.

Illinois student enrollment at its highest in over a decade

According to Illinois Board of Higher Education's annual First Look Fall Enrollment report, this marks the second consecutive year of statewide growth, with student enrollment across Illinois’ 12 public universities increasing by 2.3%—totaling 189,791 students.

Illinois universities hit highest enrollment in a decade: report

Public universities in Illinois achieved the highest enrollment level in 10 years, with nearly 190,000 students enrolled during the fall semester of the 2025-2026 school year, a 2.3% increase from the last school year.

Illinois Public Universities See Highest Enrollment Levels in a Decade

Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Board of Higher Education on Monday announced that total enrollment in Illinois public universities increased for the second year in a row and hit its highest overall level in 10 years.